The Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre (AITC)

Transcription

1 The Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre (AITC) ACSER CUBESAT2017: Launching CubeSats for and from Australia 19 th -20 th April 2017 QB50 Test Campaign and CubeSat testing at the AITC Mike Petkovic AITC Test Facilities Manager Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics

2 Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre (AITC) National facility for the design, manufacture, assembly and test of precision instrumentation Suite of integration laboratories, cleanrooms, and environmental test facilities Staffed by personnel with significant instrumentation and space experience and expertise 2

3 Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre (AITC) Can provide technical support for all phases of CubeSat development cycle One-stop-shop for the AIT of both terrestrial and spaceborne instrumentation and small spacecraft A unique hands-on facility for AIT training. Spacecraft test team involvement encouraged 3

4 AITC Environmental Test Facilities EMC Vibration PyroShock Thermal Cycling Thermal-Vacuum Mass Properties EP Thruster Vacuum Mechanical Shock Workshop: Utilising existing Australian space capability for future growth 14th 18th July

5 AITC On-Site Test Support Facilities Electronics lab, general test & rework equipment Optical test & metrology equipment Full machine shop (modifications, jigs & fixtures) 3D printing capability (ABS and vacuumcompatible) Cleanrooms & clean work stations Adhesive preparation equipment Gross & precision cleaning facility Plasma processing facility Workshop: Utilising existing Australian space capability for future growth 14th 18th July

6 Australian QB50 Spacecraft QB50-AU01 SUSat QB50-AU02 UNSW-EC0 QB50-AU03 Inspire-2 6

7 Australian QB50 Spacecraft Testing Concurrent test campaign: AU01, AU02, AU03 Undertaken over a 2-week period in late June 2016 ~5-days spacecraft test preparation ~7-days testing QB50 flight acceptance tests: Vacuum-bakeout; Thermal-Vacuum cycling; Vibration (Sine, QSL & RMV); Pyroshock (deleted waiver granted) 7

8 QB50 Thermal-Vacuum (TVAC) Tests All three spacecraft accommodated in S2F Vacuum bakeout followed by 4-cycles +50/-20 C Thermal cycling undertaken on 12-hour/day basis; paused at ambient Free-space RF communications with AU01 (very low power) GPS retransmission within chamber All tests successfully completed! 8

9 QB50 Thermal-Vacuum (TVAC) Tests Minor issues encountered and overcome new TVAC test fixture AU03 antenna deployment RF communications with spacecraft location of test temperature sensors definition of when dwell starts/finishes battery charging during cycling battery power available for functional tests GPS signals in test area and chamber mechanism deployment at low-temperatures QB50 lessons-learned applicable to all testing 9

10 QB50 Vibration Tests ISIS 2U test pod (baseline) use had issues AU03 Z-axis testing completed OK Large resonance peak detected during initial sine sweep, X-axis 10

11 QB50 Vibration Tests Remaining tests completed with CalPoly test pod Shift in resonant peaks (CalPoly test pod) explained to launch provider 3 different RMV profiles were used across the three spacecraft (late requirements change) 11

12 Test Campaign Optimisation Test campaigns are expensive (costs underestimated) test facility charges test campaign logistics (travel, accommodation, subsistence) Efficient, effective & thorough planning will maximise success & minimise cost Start environmental test planning early - talk to us well before your test is due understand test requirements (development or launch authority mandated) advise us of your needs (required test(s) & window) discuss AITC facility capabilities, interfaces & services agree on a test baseline (test, ROM cost & schedule, window) 12

13 Reason for test Launch authority requirement minimum usual tests vacuum bakeout vibration (swept-sine and RMV) other requirements additional vibration tests (Sinusoidal, QSL) TVAC cycling PyroShock (avoid with waiver if possible) Development tests engineering analysis and risk mitigation testing more involved 13

14 Test Cost Drivers AITC services provided on a cost-recovery basis Test price is based on AITC engineering effort (and consumables) Test price discounted for approved university research projects Facility access fee for test team operation Test work scope can vary widely each test may have unique & specific requirements wide range of ROM test prices 14

15 We will work with you Test Cost Drivers provide technical assistance and guidance allow you access to facility on 24/7 basis allow test team operation of some facilities (after training) help you to keep your costs down Remember scope creep and changes will impact on cost! delays may also impact Minimise AITC effort to minimise test cost! 15

16 Engagement with the AITC AITC facilities, capabilities, test guides and ROM pricing to be available online soon Engage initially by completing test questionnaire Follow-up telecon with AITC to discuss needs ROM test price for baseline scope provided Testing to be undertaken under a test services agreement fixed-price (agreed and fixed work scope) test-capped (limit-of-liability) based on ROM takes time to get through university processes 16

17 TVAC testing factors to consider Test facility capability S2F suited to larger spacecraft (deployed mechanisms) TBAL testing & TVAC cycling consider UNSW Canberra for bakeout and stowed (launch configuration) thermal cycling (up to 3U) Test duration TVAC testing normally undertaken on a 24/7 basis 12-hour/day possible takes longer, no cost saving typically 3-4 days to complete bakeout & cycling spacecraft thermal stabilisation drives overall test duration (and price) spacecraft representative available on-site at all times 17

18 TVAC testing factors to consider Test criteria definition of when hot/cold dwell starts/finishes critical test temperature sensor locations (internal/external) battery charging during cycling creates drift Test preparation spacecraft sensor instrumentation spacecraft integration into chamber & end-to-end test maximum amount of hands-on to spacecraft test teams Test fixtures support spacecraft with appendages/deployables separation switch type and locations special fixture may be required (AITC or user-provided) 18

19 TVAC testing factors to consider Spacecraft communication direct cable connection umbilical cable to spacecraft test connector vacuum compatible harness Standard vacuum feedthrough connector RF comms S2F is a Faraday cage cable feedthroughs required issues with free-space communications inside chamber direct connection (bypassed) antennas or load caps ground station required 19

20 TVAC testing factors to consider Spacecraft power battery charging battery temperatures critical trickle charging takes a long time impacts on thermal cycling (battery temp rising) limited windows for charging (battery temperature) may impact on spacecraft functional tests (deployments) ground power consider external power supply via umbilical external switching between ground and on-board power 20

21 TVAC testing factors to consider Spacecraft functional tests full functional tests before TVAC testing abbreviated functional tests under vacuum at end of dwell strongly consider automated test scripts to minimise time deployments should be undertaken at the end of cold phase (worst case) ensure sufficient battery power for functional tests GPS repeater (inside S2F & Integration Hall) required Materials vacuum compatibility vacuum-compatible materials only significant S2F decontamination charges may apply 21

22 Vibration testing factors to consider Test duration spacecraft functional testing & inspection drives overall test duration basic testing can be completed within a day complicated testing - allow 1-day/axis Test preparation test profiles need to be (re-)qualified before flight test item profile change will require additional AITC effort spacecraft preparation includes CAC & spacecraft inspection AITC will provide training & reasonable level of support during spacecraft preparation maximum amount of hands-on to spacecraft test teams 22

23 Vibration testing factors to consider Spacecraft functional testing may be undertaken on-shaker requires bypass of separation switches and access to test connector port ideally test item should not be removed between vibration axes functional testing will add to schedule Test sequence axis by axis all vibration exposures completed in one axis before moving to next swept sine resonance search between vibration exposures off-shaker functional testing after all axis exposures completed 23

24 Vibration testing factors to consider Test pods & fixtures CalPoly 3U test pod 1U, 2U & 3U "tuna can" test items multiple test items possible enables testing in all 3-axes on slip table clearance between spacecraft and pod QB50 (ISIS 2U) test pod clamped rail retains test item necessitates shaker reconfiguration for Y-axis Other test pods & fixtures will require shaker interfaces fixtures to be fabricated can be user-provided or by AITC 24

25 Vibration testing factors to consider Test instrumentation & data Flight acceptance test test data demonstrates required test exposure achieved minimum sensors and data logging test pod instrumented; spacecraft not logged data can t be used for analysis Development/qualification test spacecraft internally instrumented multiple miniature sensors required DAQ system & analysis software logging & processing by test teams 25

26 Contact us Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre Mt Stromlo Observatory